You're Everything I Think I Need
by TheVeiledFairy
Summary: THIS IS HEYA. I WARNED YOU. Ashley tried to ignore the way Naya visibly deflated as Heather declared, "We're really just friends, Tay. That's all."


**Author's Note: This is Heather/Naya so you've been warned. Okay so this grew into something waaaaay more complicated and intricate than I intended. I originally started out fine and then I felt that I needed to get rid of Taylor somehow and it just spiraled out of my control and into this long emotional piece and I hope that's okay with you. I kind of suck a little because I had to split this into two parts because it was just so...much. I should have the actual party scene posted sometime soon and I really hope that this is okay! The party will be fluffier after all this angst whoring I'm doing. Again. I hope you guys like it.**

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><p>The smell of vanilla wafted through the air, weaving its way through the house and signaling that breakfast was almost ready. However, that smell quickly gave way to a smokier, thicker air and Heather sighed.<p>

She was busy cooking (burning) pancakes at the stove when the doorbell chimed loudly, effectively distracting her further and causing her to only worsen the condition of her efforts at culinary excellence.

"Ash, can you get that? I'm kinda…preoccupied," she shouted as she tried to figure out how only the chocolate chips had caught fire in the skillet in front of her. It was as if little bonfires had come to life over the surface of her pancakes.

"Only because you're making me food, Heather. It better be edible this time too or else I'll be pissed you made me get up," Ashley teased as she begrudgingly made her way over to the door.

When she opened it to find a UPS man holding a tiny gold envelope she chuckled and signed for the letter before wishing him a good day. It was addressed to Heather but there was no return address listed anywhere.

"Hey, are you planning on going to see Willy Wonka anytime soon because I think you've got the golden ticket," she sang as she danced into the kitchen where Heather was inexplicably lifting perfectly golden pancakes onto two plates.

"I thought you were preoccupied, Hemo. Isn't that your 'secret' code for fucking up? It's what you always say when you're doing something wrong or something you shouldn't be. It never fails."

"I don't know _what_ you're talking about. Gimme that. "Heather laughed, reaching across the counter to wipe her hands on a towel before grabbing the letter from her roommate.

"Only two? Where's Taylor this morning? He didn't go home already did he?" Ashley asked casually as she loaded her plate with the rest of the food on the counter. Along with the pancakes, Heather had made eggs and bacon too.

"He's out running or jogging… or skipping. I don't know. He leaves so early that I barely am awake enough to listen to what he tells me. I tell him every time he visits to just leave notes, but he just _has_ to wake me at the crack of dawn to say good morning. He says he wants to "be the first thing I see in the morning," she revealed and Ashley smirked knowingly at the irritation lacing her best friend's voice.

She always seemed to get this way when Taylor was visiting. Ashley didn't understand how the poor guy didn't get that his girlfriend hated the sappy romantic crap he liked to shovel. They'd been at this for almost 5 years; maybe he'd never get it.

Heather rolled her eyes and huffed before returning her attention to the envelope. She fingered the letter carefully, taking in its shimmering appearance and the fancy calligraphy spelling out her name and address.

When she flipped it over she noticed the embossed "B" decorating the flap and she squealed as she unceremoniously ripped the envelope open.

"What is it?" Ashley mumbled around a mouthful of pancake, eyeing Heather curiously as the grin on her face grew wider and wider.

"It's a letter from Beyonce! Every other year she has a little get together…well not little, but whatever. When we first heard about it, we nicknamed it the 'MVP.' Most Valued Party," Heather explained before continuing on without missing a beat.

"It's for everyone she enjoyed working with on her tours. Most of the band gets invited and all the backup singers, but she has so many dancers that she only invites her favorites. I can't believe she invited me this year!" she bubbled, before sprinting out of the room.

Ashley was watching her with wide eyes and shook herself out of her daze as Heather ran from the kitchen. "Hey! Where are you going?"

Heather doubled back and rooted herself in the doorway. "Sorry Ash. I've gotta make a call. You get to bring a plus one and I have to make sure they're gonna be in town still. I'd bring you, but it's on Saturday. You'll be filming 'I'm in Love with a Scootaaa: Part Deux,' remember?."

"Ah. I see, well don't let me hold you back," Ashley smiled. "I'm really happy for you Heather. I know you were a little bummed that Beyonce hadn't reached out to you again. See? She really did appreciate the time you spent with her!"

"I know. Thanks Ash," she rushed before running off to her bedroom and shutting the door, but not before she called down the hall, "And if you eat all my pancakes, there won't be a safe place for you to hide. I told Zach to watch you so don't even think about it!"

Ashley rolled her eyes and jumped when she noticed the black cat perched on the countertop opposite her, staring. "Oh, what are you gonna do huh?" she mocked, shoveling another forkful of syrupy goodness into her mouth.

If she didn't know any better she would've sworn the cat raised an eyebrow at her as if to say, "Try me."

Later that afternoon, Ashley waltzed into the kitchen after taking a long nap and found Taylor making a smoothie.

"Hey stranger. Haven't seen you in days. It's almost like you aren't here. Except I know you are because if you weren't here, all my OJ would stop disappearing," she teased and Taylor froze just as he emptied the last of the orange juice into the blender.

"Sorry, Ash. I'll pick up some more later on."

"Uh huh, yeah you better. I'm the best friend. I've got clout around here. It's probably best for you to stay on my good side. Hmm, maybe I should make a list of demands…" Ashley wiggled her eyebrows mischievously before bursting into a fit of giggles at Taylor's panic stricken face. "I'm just joking, T. Relaaax," she soothed, moving over to grab a bottle of water and sitting down on the couch.

"Don't scare me like that, okay? Things have already been…fragile lately. I've actually decided to stay another week so we can work on it. She didn't seem too thrilled about it when I told her, but I'm not letting that scare me away. If anything, that's _the_ reason I need to stay," he finished as he settled down next to Ashley and sighed.

She wasn't sure what she could say since everything he said was true, so she just nodded sympathetically and let him talk. After a while, a silence fell and Ashley, wanting to steer the conversation in a more positive direction, ventured, "Oh, hey! Are you excited to go to the party on Saturday? Now that you're gonna be here, I mean."

Taylor stopped drinking and stared at Ashley questioningly. "What party? Heather didn't tell me anything about a party…"

"Oh?" she offered casually, "But when she got the invitation this morning she went off to call and ask if you'd still be in town…strange."

Taylor's eyes narrowed, almost imperceptibly and Ashley suddenly got the sinking feeling that she'd said something she shouldn't have.

"She never called me. Where is she anyways?"

Ashley bit her lip. She of course knew where Heather was (she had left to go shopping with Naya shortly after breakfast), but it was one of those things that though it wasn't necessarily a secret, it probably shouldn't be mentioned if it could be helped.

Taylor was always a little (a lot) sensitive about how much time Heather spent with Naya, especially during the few visits to LA he could manage. It was surprisingly one of the few things they disagreed on regularly.

Ashley had been privy to many an exaggerated phone call between the couple where she knew Naya was the subject; the last one had been particularly heated.

_Heather reluctantly picked up her phone as it lit up for the 5__th__ time that day with the familiar number. She glanced at her roommate pretending to be engrossed in some overplayed re-run of "Friends," and bracing herself for the argument she knew she'd be listening to momentarily. _

_Taylor had been calling all day, but Heather had been with Naya, so she hadn't wanted to interrupt their time to talk on the phone. She hated when people did that, so she'd just sent all the calls to voicemail until she got home. _

_When she'd settled into the couch with Ashley at around 9, she'd known the phone would be ringing again soon. She'd tried to distract herself with TV and the guacamole Naya had made her earlier, but she was a jittery mess and had nearly dumped the entire bowl on herself when she felt the buzzing underneath her left thigh. _

_The conversation was going well enough, but about 10 minutes in, as usual, it took the shift that Heather had been desperately trying to avoid. After 5 minutes of terse question and answer about her whereabouts that day, the dam broke and it all came flooding out. _

"_Don't you have any other friends out there? You and Naya are so…close. It's a little strange. How come you never go anywhere with Ashley this much?" _

"_We live together; I see her every day for crying out loud! I don't need to go places with Ashley all the time!" Heather quickly shot her roommate an apologetic look to let her know that she wasn't trying to be cruel, but Ashley just waved her off with a smile. _

_She understood that their friendship wasn't the kind that needed re-affirmation every five minutes, and she was okay with that. Not to say that Heather and Naya's friendship needed that, it was just that theirs ran a little deeper than the one Ashley shared with Heather. _

"_Naya is my best friend, Tay. I can't believe you're threatened by her. It's actually laughable. I'm laughing at you right now, or at least I would be if I could get past how utterly childish you're being! You should be happy I've found someone so far from home, from you, who can make me as happy as you do!"_

"_God, Heather! That's my point! She's your best friend. FRIEND, Heather! What am I supposed to think of that, huh? She shouldn't be making you anywhere near as happy as I do!"_

_Heather couldn't think straight. She hated confrontation and Taylor seemed to thrive on it. He'd once told her that "Any relationship without confrontation is a relationship without convictions." She didn't even know what the fuck that meant (and she'd made sure to let him know that too,) but with all the yelling, Heather finally snapped. _

"_Yeah? Well, lately ANYONE could make happier than you do since you've been doing such a SHIT job of it lately!"_

_Ashley finally gave up trying to pretend she wasn't listening and whipped around to face Heather, eyes wide. She took in her bloodshot eyes and tear stained cheeks, her heaving chest and her quivering hands, but mostly she took note of her empty eyes and decided that enough was enough. _

_She reached for the phone, which Heather gave up without a fight and told Taylor in no uncertain terms that the conversation was over for the night. She hung up and then upon noticing how Heather had curled herself into a ball on her side of the sofa, she sighed and dialed Heather's second speed dial. Her first was her mom. _

_Heather didn't move or speak at all while Ashley talked, and Ashley simply rested a comforting hand on her ankle and as they waited._

_10 minutes later, the doorbell rang and before Ashley could get up, the door swung open. _

"_Forgot I had this," Naya chuckled, jingling the keys hanging from her fingers before she took in the limp body on the couch. The smile vanished from her face instantly and she crossed the room in 2 strides, dropping to her knees, on the floor, in front of the couch._

_Ashley watched as Naya carefully scooped a still crying Heather into her arms, noting how Heather immediately relaxed into the embrace like it was the breath of fresh air she hadn't known she was craving before completely curling her body around Naya's as she clambered onto the carpet and into her lap._

_They always sat on the floor. Ashley didn't know why and she never dared to ask. Watching them interact was so beautiful and natural, that it seemed wrong to question any par t of its intricacies. _

_Heather rested her head on Naya's shoulder and Naya ran her fingers soothingly through Heather's hair. Pretty soon the tears had stopped and Heather's breathing had returned to normal, but neither of them made a move to separate themselves. Heather clung just as tightly to Naya as ever, burying her face in Naya's neck and idly twirling a lock of chestnut hair around her pale finger._

_When Naya leant down and pressed a gentle kiss to Heather's temple as she whispered reassurances into tangled blond hair, Ashley decided that her time from that point on would be better suited to attempting to blend into the wallpaper. Upstairs. In her room. With the door shut._

_The next morning, she found them entwined together on the couch sleeping peacefully, and when Taylor called to apologize, Ashley tried to ignore the way Naya visibly deflated as Heather declared, "We're really just friends, Tay. That's all."_

Needless to say, Naya was a touchy subject and Ashley wasn't sure what to do since Taylor was watching her with knowing eyes, waiting for her to confirm what she suspected he'd already figured out.

Almost as if she had sensed Ashley's distress, Heather opened the door and walked in, packages in hand and sunglasses perched precariously on her nose.

"Hey guys! Why the long faces?" she asked, shifting her sunglasses to the top of her head and gazing at the pair curiously.

Taylor forced a smile and Ashley simply mumbled something that sounded oddly similar to "I put my foot in mouth." Heather shrugged it off, moving around the coffee table to steal a sip of her boyfriend's smoothie.

"So babe, how was your day?" she started, walking back around to stand in front of the, still opened, door.

"It was great, hun. Ashley here was just telling me that we're going to a party this weekend? I had no clue. Whatever shall I wear?" Taylor chuckled as he attempted to lighten the mood, but he couldn't ignore the way his girlfriend's face had fallen or the exasperated glance she shot Ashley.

"Oh? I thought you were leaving on Friday." Heather knew very well that her boyfriend was planning to stay another week, but she figured if it seemed like she had forgotten then what she was about to say wouldn't hurt as much.

"I'm not leaving until next Wednesday, Heather. I told you that earlier today," Taylor reminded as he tried his best not to show how much it was bothering him that she had seemingly forgotten so easily.

Heather sighed. This was a bad situation all the way around. She was debating whether she should just tell him the news or if it would be better to wait it out. Heather caught Ashley's eye and saw the sympathy radiating there as she nodded, encouraging her to just be honest.

"Well actually Tay, I was already planning to take N-"

"Naya!" Ashley exclaimed with wide eyes as Heather's other best friend appeared in the doorway. She was weighted down with what looked like 5 shoeboxes and 4 bags overflowing with clothes.

She had her signature "bug eyed shades," as Ashley liked to call them, resting atop her head and her skin was sporting a healthy glow, no doubt the result of a morning spent shopping out in the sun.

Dressed in cute overall style shorts and a striped bandeau bra with her hair flowing in loose ringlets over her left shoulder, she looked beautifully sexy, and even Taylor was having a hard time masking his look of appreciation.

Heather, on the other hand, didn't even try as she shamelessly ran her eyes over Naya's exposed legs like she hadn't been staring at them all morning anyway.

"What the fuck, Hemo? Since when did I become your pack mule?" Naya huffed playfully as she made her way towards the stairs to put Heather's bags away. Heather shot her a tender smile, forgetting that she had been in the middle of a conversation when Naya walked in.

That always seemed to be happening to her. It was like time and space completely froze when she looked into Naya's eyes. It wasn't until Ashley cleared her throat awkwardly that Heather turned back and snapped out of it.

"No, no. You don't have to do that, Nay. I'll take them up. Just go sit in your chair," Heather insisted. Selfish as it was, she just wanted any excuse to escape for a few minutes to collect herself.

Naya hesitated when she saw the uncomfortable look on Taylor's face as he stared at Heather, but Ashley widened her eyes as if to say "Just do it!" so she reluctantly situated herself in the arm chair on the opposite side of the coffee table.

A thick silence fell over the room as Heather ran eagerly up the stairs and Naya had a feeling that _this_ is what her best friend had been trying to escape; this awkwardness. It wasn't like those times when you get stuck in a room with people you just met and no one knows what to say. This was worse.

Naya, Ashley, and Taylor were all relatively familiar with each other and, in turn, were all aware of the tension that stewed between two of them. Ashley wanted to say something, but she wasn't sure of what she could without triggering some kind of reaction from one of them.

"So. That's your chair, huh?" Naya looked up and met Taylor's eyes, immediately wincing at the intensity of his stare. Ashley was squirming and trying to act like her fingernails had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room.

"Haha, uh…yeah. Heather's been calling it that since we were drunk one time when we first met and I made her promise to never let anyone sit in it because I wanted to marry it," she laughed, losing herself in the memory briefly before looking up at Taylor again.

Taylor smiled at her. Not a cheerful, acknowledging smile, but a twisted, strained curvature of the lips that had her shivering as he breathed, "You don't say?"

That chair had always been a sore spot for Taylor. He knew it was just a chair, but it looked relatively comfortable and it bugged him that whenever he tried to sit in it, Heather would scold him and drag him back to the couch. At first she had made up excuses about it being lumpy or how the couch was at a better angle to see the TV, but on the one night he'd insisted on sitting there, she had declared in a tone that left no room for debate, that _no one _got to sit in that chair. Not wanting to start an argument, he hadn't pressed the issue further.

Naya attempted to catch Ashley's gaze, but she was determined not to be brought into this conversation.

She knew that Naya had no idea the real reason why Taylor had asked her that and she wasn't gonna be the one to tell her. Not then anyway.

Naya coughed lightly as she twiddled her fingers in her lap anxiously. Just as it was approaching unbearable levels of awkward, Heather came bounding back down the stairs and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Right. What was I saying?" Heather questioned nervously, running a hand through her tangled hair as she tossed her shades on the coffee table.

"Something about the party…" Taylor replied stiffly and Heather flinched at the forced smile he was sending in her direction. She glanced quickly between Naya sitting in the giant arm chair and the extra space on the couch, debating, before moving slowly towards the side of the table opposite her boyfriend.

Ashley wasn't oblivious to the struggle Heather was having and she couldn't completely suppress her smug smile when her roommate plopped herself down comfortably in Naya's lap. It was all Taylor could do to not gape in shock as he watched his girlfriend settle back into Naya's chest.

As soon as Heather had sat down, Naya had instinctively wrapped her arms around her waist and rested her head in the crook of Heather's shoulder. Heather had lifted her own arms to accommodate Naya's around her before placing them gingerly back on top. She then tilted her head over to lean against Naya's, closing her eyes briefly as she breathed in her scent.

The entire exchange took mere seconds. It reeked of familiarity and routine, and the way they both moved seamlessly into positions that complimented each other without ever speaking made Taylor's stomach churn. It was effortless in a way that she and Heather hadn't been able to manage after 5 years.

"Oh, yeah. The party…" Heather trailed off, and Taylor did his best to ignore the way his girlfriend was stroking her thumb tenderly across Naya's hand like it was the most natural thing in the world. It didn't even seem like she realized she was doing it.

Taylor watched as Naya lifted her head from Heather's shoulder and gave her a nearly imperceptible nod and tightened her arms around her waist. Just as he was about to comment, Heather spoke again.

"I'm taking Naya to the party, Taylor." She said it quietly, but it was firm and he knew that the decision had already been finalized in her head.

Much to Heather's surprise, Taylor didn't argue. He didn't scream or yell like he usually did. He simply nodded and slowly ascended the stairs without another word. Once he was gone, Ashley turned her attention back to Heather and Naya.

Heather had shifted so that she was sitting sideways, leaning her back against the right arm of the chair. Naya hands were still enclosed possessively around her and she was still caressing the smooth skin on the back of Naya's hand.

When Ashley raised an eyebrow at them, both women flushed embarrassedly, but didn't stop what they were doing.

Heather sent Ashley a crooked smile and sighed, "He took that better than I anticipated."

Ashley cut her eyes away to the floor as she mumbled, "I might've told him already…sort of. I mean, I didn't say it…but when I mentioned the party and he realized you hadn't told him about it, I kinda didn't have to." She was ashamed that she had been the one to tell him instead of Heather, but when she chanced a look up at her roommate, she wasn't upset. In fact she was smiling.

"It's okay, Ash. He would've found out anyways right?" Ashley nodded and Heather turned her attention to Naya.

"I'm glad you were here when I told him, though. He probably thinks you don't know how much he is threatened by you. It's so silly," Heather revealed as she snuggled deeper into Naya's embrace.

Naya kept smiling at her, but Ashley could see that it was no longer reaching her tired eyes. "Yeah. Totally silly." Ashley shot Naya a sympathetic smile that was soon replaced by a look of sheer horror as a deafening thud sounded out from upstairs.

Heather immediately shot up, taking the stairs two at a time as she scrambled towards her bedroom. When she pushed open the door, she saw Taylor righting a fallen end table and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened, babe? I thought you'd passed out up here or something," she teased as she stepped into the room. Taylor didn't respond; he simply shrugged and walked into the closet, giving Heather a chance to really look around.

The pictures of Taylor that had been resting on her dresser were gone. The drawer she'd cleared out for him was open and empty, and as she stepped towards the closet, she could see the top flap of a rapidly filling suitcase.

Heather's head was spinning. Her throat felt tight and she was shaking as the reality of what was happening washed over her. She didn't need to ask, but some part of her, deeply secluded from the rest of her inner turmoil, urged her on.

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice was small and timid, thick with unshed tears and crippling guilt. She knew why, and he knew that she knew. Taylor turned to look at her, not glare, just… look. His face was blank, completely void of emotion as she peered at her curiously, almost like he was waiting for something. For a smile, a sob, any kind of reaction that let him know what she was thinking.

Heather gave him nothing, returning his gaze with unwavering steadiness and unflappable determination not to be the first to crack.

After a moment, Taylor scoffed at her incredulously, mumbling, "Whatever, Heather," as he resumed packing.

The part of her that was in denial, the part that pretended not to see the problems they'd been having, the part that still believed in her high school sweetheart and their fairytale ending was screaming at her to do something. Do anything to make him talk; to convince him to stay, but there was another part of her that demanded her inaction and her silence.

It was a part of herself that she refused to acknowledge, despite the blushes and the lingering touches. Despite the flutters in her stomach and the shots of heat between her thighs. Despite the fleeting glances and longing stares.

She'd been ignoring _that _part of herself for years, but in that moment, that part of her needed an answer to the fucking question. She needed to hear someone say it out loud. She needed to hear_ him _say it. She needed to know that it was real and that she hadn't been imagining it. Sure it was selfish of her to use Taylor to help her realize this, but Heather was desperate. She was at a crossroads and it was all riding on this one, simple question.

"Why are you _doing_ this!" She tried again, raising her voice this time and showing him her exasperation. Guilt settled even more heavily in her stomach as she saw his eyes light up at her frustration, thinking that perhaps her outburst was because she didn't want him to go and not because she just needed him to give her a reason to risk it all.

He was about to answer when he looked up and something behind Heather and just outside the door caught his eye. Naya was standing there, having followed Heather up the stairs in case she'd need help or something.

Her presence was completely innocent in motivation, but Taylor didn't know that, nor would he have cared if he had. Seeing her standing there, listening to what may be the last conversation he'd have with his girlfriend, ever, was the last straw. He knew that she was the cause of the entire situation and it made his blood run cold.

"You wanna know why, Heather? Huh!" he shouted as he stormed over to the dresser. Taylor hastily slammed his drawer shut and Heather's stomach plummeted as he reached for the drawer just above his and to the right.

He yanked it open with unnecessary force, causing the contents to spill out onto the beige carpet. "THIS is why, Heather! This right here is why! What the fuck does Naya need a drawer in your bedroom for? Hmm?"

Taylor was fuming by this point, and as much as Heather wanted to stop him, she knew he needed to get it all out.

She stood silent and motionless as he moved over to the nightstand and wrenched open the third drawer, dumping more of Naya's things into the quickly growing pile.

Next he moved to the bathroom where he grabbed Naya's shower caddy from under the sink and threw that on top as well. Heather grimaced as the tiny bottle of mouthwash cracked opened and began gushing minty, green shapes into the clothes on the pile.

It had taken Naya every ounce of her self control to stay outside the room during all of this. She didn't know Taylor had seen her and her heart was breaking as she took in Heather's sullen features.

It looked like she almost thought she _deserved_ Taylor's behavior, which was crazy because she'd always made sure he knew that they were just friends.

Taylor was breathing heavily and frantically looking around the room for anything else he knew belonged to Naya or even just reminded him of Naya. By the time he finished, there were shattered photographs and stuffed animals littering the floor also.

He was drained and all the pent up rage he'd been harboring lay in mushy green ruins on their… no, _Heather's _bedroom floor. He walked back into the closet once more, and Heather could hear the zipping of the suitcase before she saw him emerge with it.

Heather's eyes bore into Taylor's and her voice wavered as she breathed out one final time, "Why_?"_

Taylor wiped a shaking hand across his sweaty brow, steeling himself against the jealously bubbling angrily inside him. "Because, Heather. You love her. Don't deny it anymore. It's just twisting the knife," he explained as Heather opened her mouth to protest only because she thought she was obligated to.

Taylor looked over her shoulder and into the shadows of the hallway. He couldn't see Naya anymore, but he knew she was still there. "And because, you love her."

Naya's breath caught when she realized Taylor was not only aware that she'd been there, but also that he was calling her out so blatantly.

Heather followed Taylor's gaze to the door and her face scrunched in confusion as she stared into the darkness. "Who are you talki-"

"She's there," Taylor interrupted. "She's _always_ there," he spit, and Heather thought it best if she ignored the bitter tone of voice. Naya stepped out of the shadows and offered Heather a tentative smile, breathing a sigh of relief when Heather returned the gesture.

"I'm just gonna go then. Leave you guys to…whatever it is you're always doing," Taylor said, shuffling his foot against the carpeting.

"Tay…" It was a whisper; a plea. Heather needed him to understand. He had to know that it wasn't his fault. She and Naya had had an instant connection, "The work of GOD!" as Naya liked to say, but that didn't make the situation easier.

Taylor had been with her through some of the hardest times in her life. He'd grown up with her and the idea that she'd hurt him, was staggering for Heather. She could see how broken he was and she reached out slowly to rest a hand on his shoulder.

He bristled at the contact and before Heather could speak he simply brushed her off, "Save it, Heather. Just…save it. I'll a call about the rest of my stuff, alright? Take care of yourself."

With that he trudged out into the hall and out the door, and Heather was crumpled on the floor before it clicked shut again.

It couldn't have been more than a second before she felt gentle, but firm, hands pulling her closer. Heather turned completely into Naya and tried her best to keep it together. After about a minute of thinking calming thoughts and trying to regulate her breathing, Heather realized that she wasn't freaking out. Like at all.

There was hollowness in her heart that hadn't been there before, and she would definitely miss Taylor, but she would not miss the relationship and the stress it brought on her. To say she was relieved might sound insensitive, but she was.

Heather loosened her grip around Naya and pulled back to see her biting her lip and looking in every direction except at her. When brown finally met blue, there was overwhelming uncertainty in the gaze and more than anything there was…anticipation.

Naya was the first to speak, finding her voice only long enough to utter the three words Heather had been dreading for months. "Is it…true?"

Heather took a shuddering breath and as she gazed steadily at Naya, she couldn't figure out why it was so awkward. They had always had such an ease with their interactions and this shouldn't have been any different.

Naya was still staring at her expectantly and Heather could feel the love radiating from her gaze. She could feel the longing, even more so now that she'd acknowledged that it was there, and she could see how tired Naya was.

She'd been waiting for a moment like this for so long, and Heather didn't want to make her wait any longer than necessary. She brought her hand up to Naya's cheek, stroking across it with her thumb tenderly as she held Naya's gaze.

Heather nuzzled her nose against Naya's, warming from head to toe at the blinding smile she received at the action, and pressed a feather light kiss to her lips.

"Yes. It's true."

* * *

><p>It was about 5pm when Heather pulled up outside of Naya's house. She took a deep breath and let herself into the house as she usually did. She and Naya had exchanged keys a few months into their friendship, and even though other people thought that was strange, it had just seemed natural to them.<p>

Heather smiled at the memory of when they'd had them made. The clerk had asked them how long they'd been dating and Naya had blushed furiously while Heather hadn't even stuttered when she answered, "5 months."

Moments like those made her wonder how they had _just _managed to get to this point. They'd literally been dancing around each other, on and off screen, for 2 years and it was baffling why it had taken them so long to get their shit together.

Heather dropped her purse by the door and wandered into the kitchen, looking for Naya and trailing her fingers over the smooth walls as she walked. She hadn't seen her since the day Taylor left and she was scared that things might be awkward between them.

Nevermind the fact that they'd spent about 30 minutes exchanging light, pecking kisses and holding each other on Heather's bedroom floor that day. That was totally irrelevant.

When Naya wasn't in the kitchen, Heather made her way up to Naya's bedroom, the heels of her stilettos clicking loudly against the hardwood as she climbed the stairs.

She faintly heard the sound of the sink running as she entered, and she called out to let Naya know that she was there. They'd already had a bad experience with a baseball bat from the one time she didn't announce herself.

"Nay, I'm here. Are you almost ready?"

"Uh. Yeah, totally Hemo...I just...need like 5 minutes," Naya replied and Heather smirked as she moved over to check herself out in the mirror. Naya was _never_ ready on time. In fact, Heather had told her the party started an hour earlier than it did just so that she'd be sure they'd be on time.

"Yeah, sure. 5 minutes. You're not even dressed."

"You don't know that!" Naya snapped, sticking her head out of the bathroom and wielding a flat iron menacingly in Heather's direction.

"Oh, yeah? So that's not your dress and heels lined up on the bed right there? Because I'm pretty sure they can't be on the bed and on _you_ at the same time..." Heather challenged and her breath caught as Naya's eyes flickered dangerously at her comment.

She slinked out of the bathroom, in nothing but her lace bra and panties, and sauntered over to stand in front of Heather.

"Mmm...I'm pretty sure I could just put them on and lie on the bed and prove you wrong, but if I'm in bed, why would I want clothes on?" With that she leaned up and kissed Heather fiercely, biting on her bottom lip and moaning into her mouth at the first brush of their tongues.

It wasn't a long kiss, but it was filled with a want, a _need_, that until recently, they'd both been denying was there. This kiss was nothing like the ones they'd shared in Heather's room, and when they broke apart, Naya couldn't help but smirk at the pinkish flush hovering over Heather's features.

"Sorry. I've wanted to kiss you like that for a while now," Naya whispered, purposely avoiding Heather's eyes.

Heather tilted Naya's chin up and quickly pecked her full lips, "Yeah, me too…. But I'm gonna be honest, if you don't put some clothes on, you're never gonna get to see Beyonce."

Naya chuckled that deep yet airy laugh that Heather loved and stepped away to slip on her dress and heels.

Her hair and makeup had been finished before Heather arrived and after a few finishing touches, they stood side by side in the mirror doing the final onceover.

"We look good…" Naya trailed off. She had wanted to add _together_, but she didn't want to push Heather. Things between them were still new and she didn't want to come on too strong too fast.

She knew that she and Heather loved each other, but the transition from best friends to…whatever they were becoming needed to be uncomplicated.

"Stop it," Heather laughed, punctuating it with a light smack to Naya's arm. "Stop overthinking us. We're still us. Naya and Heather. The rest is just details alright? Let's go. I can't wait for you to meet my friends!"

"Okay, let's go," Naya smiled and started to make her way towards the door until Heather grabbed her wrist, spinning her and bringing their bodies together in one ridiculously fluid movement.

There was a sparkle in her eyes as Heather leaned down and claimed Naya's lips hungrily causing Naya to let out an _embarrassingly_ loud moan and dig her nails into Heather's hips.

Heather pulled away with a smack and smiled, "Don't ever apologize for doing that." She reached down, linked their fingers together, beaming as felt Naya squeeze her fingers in response.

"This is gonna be so fun," Heather chirped, and Naya, still dizzy from the kiss, could only nod lazily and allow herself to be pulled out of the house.

* * *

><p><strong>Part 2 Coming Soon.<strong>


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